Karnataka adds 9,140 fresh COVID-19 cases, 94 deaths take toll to 7,161
Bengaluru: Karnataka on Saturday reported 9,140 new coronavirus cases taking the total number of infections to 4,49,551 while the death toll touched 7,161 with 94 fatalities, the Health department said.
The total infections comprised 3,44,556 discharges including 9,557 on Saturday whereas there were 97,815 active cases in the state including 795 in the ICU, the department said in a statement.
The spike in cases was led by Bengaluru Urban district, which recorded 3,552 fresh infections and 21 deaths. The city has cumulatively reported 1,67,183 cases and 2,391 deaths due to the coronavirus. There were 40,929 active cases including 278 in the ICU. There were cumulatively 1,23,862 discharges in the city including 3,538 on Saturday.
Mysuru was the second biggest contributor after Bengaluru Urban. The city reported 637 fresh cases and 14 deaths on Saturday. Cumulatively, 25,086 coronavirus cases and 576 deaths have been reported here since the outbreak of the disease.
According to the bulletin, 401 fresh cases were reported in Dakshina Kannada district, 366 in Ballari, 324 in Hassan, 304 in Tumakuru, 267 in Davangere, 239 in Dharwad, 222 in Kalaburagi, 213 in Haveri, 211 in Bengaluru Rural district and 201 in Belagavi.
Cases were also reported in Bagalkote, Bidar, Chikkaballapura, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Mandya, Raichur, Koppal and other districts.
The department said on Saturday nine deaths were reported in Dharwad, eight in Ballari, five each in Dakshina Kannada and Shivamogga, four each in Chitradurga and Koppal and three in Kalaburagi, apart from other districts.
While a majority of those who died of the coronavirus were above 50 years of age, there were young people who succumbed to the infection. There was a seven-year-old boy from Bengaluru who succumbed to the virus in a private hospital.
Among the dead, two in their twenties, four in their thirties and 11 in their forties on Saturday. Most of those who died of coronavirus had Severe Acute Respiratory Illness or the Influenza-Like Illness.
The department said as on Saturday, over five lakh people were home quarantined whereas in the past 14 days, 5.97 lakh primary contacts and 5.4 lakh secondary contacts have been traced.
As many as 427 passengers were screened at the airports, taking the number of those screened so far to 2.14 lakh.
There were as many as 63,583 tests done on Saturday taking the total so far to 37.14 lakh, the department added.
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India dismisses report of Musk joining Modi-Trump call; says it was between 2 leaders only
New Delhi (PTI): India on Saturday rejected a media report that said billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier this week.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Tuesday's conversation was between the two leaders only.
The New York Times, quoting unnamed US officials, reported that Musk participated in the call between Trump and Modi, adding it was an "unusual appearance" by a private citizen on a call between two heads of state.
"We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only," Jaiswal said.
"As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia," he said.
In its report, the New York Times said it is "unclear" why Musk was on the call or whether he spoke.
Our prime minister only spoke to Trump and there was no one else who spoke to the PM, people familiar with the matter said.
They suggested that it is for Washington to clarify if somebody else was in the room or listening to the conversation.
The New York Times said Musk's participation in the phone call signalled a reconciliation between the billionaire and Trump.
The two had fallen out last year following Musk's exit from a government task force charged with slashing the federal workforce.
The US president had initiated the phone call with Modi to discuss the West Asia crisis.
It was the first conversation between the two leaders since the West Asia conflict began on February 28.
In the conversation, Modi underlined the importance of ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible, noting that it is vital for global peace, stability and economic well-being.
